Not-so-safe zone

The picture used to illustrate your report, “Drivers face £100 fines for invading cyclists’ space” (21 November), shows a major flaw in junction design that causes a danger to cyclists but could be easily and cheaply 
corrected.

The design of the road markings places the “safe zone” for cyclists, the slowest-accelerating road users, directly in front of the faster-accelerating traffic.

Not only is this an unsafe practice, but it also causes congestion by delaying faster-
moving traffic as it waits for the slower-moving vehicles to cross the junction first.

A much safer design would be for the “safe zone” to be the width of the cycle lane, 
allowing cyclists and other traffic to queue parallel to each other, thereby cutting congestion and increasing cycle safety at the same time by not placing cyclists in front of higher 
vehicles with restricted view low down in front of them, such 
as lorries, as mentioned in the article.

Your picture also graphically illustrates the problem of cyclists not looking out for their own safety in the first place.

In the photograph neither cyclist is wearing a safety helmet, but, in particular, the lady is wearing all dark clothing and has her heavy handbag swinging from one side of the handlebars, which will prevent her from maintaining a stable ride and being in full control of her vehicle.

Not a good idea in town 
traffic!

Neil McDonald

Pencaitland

East Lothian